The Call
by Kiva
Summary: A call in the night drags the Legacy into what they thought was a routine case. Chapter 7 now up. Thanks to those who review, your input continues to inspire and encourage:-):)
1. The Call

This is a work of fiction. The characters aren't mine, and I do not lay any claims on them. This is the first part of a story that will be updated. I can't tell you how much trouble I've had with this………….every time I try to put it up, the damn thing deletes itself. But enough about that.   
I hope you like, and please, don't hesitate to read and let me know what you think. Thanks………Kiva: )   
  
  
**************************************************************************************Rachel was dreaming. She wasn't sure how she knew that, just that she did.   
She slowly became aware of a loud ringing, that seemed to be invading her dream. As she made the shift from sleeping, to the waking world, she realised it was the phone.   
She groaned, silencing the racket by picking up the offending object, while taking the time to look at the bedside clock, through blurry, sleep filled eyes.   
It read 1:30 am, precisely. Biting back a rather uncharitable remark, and a lengthy lecture on disturbing sleep [both reserved for the person on the other end of the line] she rolled over, putting the phone to her ear.   
  
"Hello?" she said.   
  
There was a prolonged moment of silence, in which Rachel began to get increasingly angry at being woken for a crank call.   
  
The voice was so low at first, that she had to strain to make it out.   
  
"Rachel?" the voice said.   
  
Rachel was a trained professional, she was good at picking things up. Gestures, movements, voice inflections. And the pain in the vaguely familiar voice, drove spikes of fear through her.   
She quickly ran through the reasons that someone would have to call her at this time of night.   
Rachel knew that her daughter was safely tucked up in bed.   
* Was safely tucked up* Rachel thought. She had believed that they were over that period of trouble, but Kat had snuck out before.   
  
"Rachel, it's Alex," the voice continued.   
  
She felt the breath quicken in her throat. She kept telling herself that it would do no good to get hysterical, but she couldn't calm the pounding of her heart.   
  
"Alex honey, it's alright. Just, tell me what's wrong, did something happen?"   
  
She listened closely as Alex took a steadying breath.   
  
  
"We were………..we were researching that case, the demon, do you remember?"   
  
Rachel found herself nodding, even though she knew Alex couldn't see her.   
They were interrupted when the door to Rachel's room slowly opened.   
Rachel reached over and switched on the bedside lamp, wondering why she hadn't thought to do so before.   
  
"Mom?" came the tired voice of her daughter. "What are you doing   
  
Rachel gestured for quiet, as Kat came over and sat on the edge of her mothers bed.   
  
"Yes Alex, I remember. Did something go wrong ?"   
  
"You could say that," came the reply, sounding slightly bitter.   
"Can you come to the hospital?" she continued.   
  
Rachel tried to quell her panic.   
  
"Of course, are you hurt?"   
She had already guessed that Alex wasn't the injured party, but she asked anyway.   
The silence stretched, and Rachel fought the urge to scream aloud.   
  
"It's Nick, Rachel………..the demon, everything went wrong, and it's bad. They won't let me see him, and…………." the rest dissolved into soft crying.   
  
Rachel felt cold. The thought of one of her best friends, lying in the hospital, possibly near death, was simply terrifying.   
She felt the tears running down her face, but managed to make her voice work, even though it was quiet shaky.   
  
"Alex, I'll be right there. Stay right where you are, okay? I'll be right there."   
  
She vaguely heard Alex thanking her, the sound muffled by the tears she was shedding, but understandable just the same.   
She replaced the receiver, and it was then that she remembered her daughter.   
  
Kat was looking up at her mother, fear in her big blue eyes.   
  
"Mom, what is it? What did Alex want?"   
  
She tried to hide the tremor in her voice, but Rachel heard it.   
  
"I'm not too sure, honey, but Nick's in the hospital." She did her best to smile reassuringly.   
  
"Alex is a little upset, so I'm gonna go to her. Now, I don't want to leave you here, so you'll have to come with me, okay?"   
  
Kat nodded, her eyes filling with tears.   
  
"How bad mom?"   
  
Rachel got up, ushering Kat to the door. She briefly debated whether or not to tell Kat everything that Alex had relayed to her, but decided that she didn't want Kat to worry any more than she already was.   
  
"Er, you know, Alex didn't really say, so why don't you go and get dressed, and make it as quick as you can, okay sweetie?"   
  
Rachel congratulated herself on keeping the smile plastered on her face, but the instant the door closed behind Kat, the smile vanished.   
Kat was obviously worried. Rachel recalled a conversation they'd had , back when they had been patching things up. In it, Kat had disclosed that she didn't consider it 'grown up' to be called pet names by her mother all the time. And yet, Rachel had just called her 'honey' and 'sweetie', both in the space of a few minutes, and Kat hadn't protested. Which meant she was definitely scared.   
She moved quickly, gathering clothes, throwing off her pyjamas as she went.   
  
As she was getting dressed, a thought occurred to her. Why hadn't Alex mentioned Derek?   
Usually it would be their Precept making such a call. If he could.   
Now adding Derek to her list of things to worry about, she gathered her keys, calling out to Kat on her way out of the room. Aware of her daughter trailing behind her, she got into her car, making sure they were both securely strapped in, and then starting the ignition, began the long trip to the hospital.   
  
**************************************************************************************


	2. At The Hospital

**************************************************************************************  
  
Alex sat in the hospital waiting room, staring at the wall. It felt like hours since she had placed the call to Rachel, and she could feel herself start to get upset again. She just couldn't believe how wrong things had gone. It had started out so simple. Identify the demon, track the demon, vanquish the demon. And yet nothing had gone to plan.  
  
She was snapped out of her thoughts by Rachel, who came bursting through the double doors, Kat trailing behind.  
  
"Alex, honey, are you okay?"  
  
They met in a hug. Instead of answering straight away, Alex bent over and gave Kat a hug.   
  
"Hey Kat, what are you doing here?"  
  
She was trying for a light tone of voice, and was pleased when she managed to pull it off.  
  
Kat returned the embrace, and said "Mom couldn't leave me at home, and I wanted to see how Nick is." She paused, biting her bottom lip. "How is Nick?"   
  
Rachel steered them all to a seating area.   
  
"Have the doctors said anything?"  
  
Alex sighed. "Well the instant we got here they rushed him off. The doctor came by not too long ago and said that he was in surgery. They may have told me why, but I don't remember much about the conversation, except for overwhelming relief. But I don't know how he is."  
  
Rachel leaned forward, clasping Alex's hand in hers, as Kat put one of her small hands on her mothers arm.   
  
"Alex what happened? Where's Derek?"  
  
More tears escaped Alex.   
  
"God, I hardly know where to start. We had found out about a demon, summoned through a particular Latin chant, and a pendant. Apparently, two kids had managed to conjure it up while playing around. The kids weren't injured, but they were very scared. So, when they finally told their parents, who did they call on, but Dr Derek Rayne?"  
  
She was trying desperately for some levity, but even in her distressed state, she could tell that she was falling short.   
  
"Apparently, the father does some work with the Luna foundation….….antiques or something. He doesn't know about the Legacy, but he asked around, and Derek was mentioned. He decided to check it out, and told Derek about what happened. Anyway, they were more than happy to give the pendant up, as well as the parchment that they got the incantation from. We did a little research, and although we couldn't figure out the origin of the demons appearance, we did find out that sooner or later, the demon answered the call of the pendant.  
  
She saw Kat with a puzzled look on her young face.  
  
"In other words, the demon only appeared wherever the pendant was. When you called upon the demon using the incantation, the demon appeared somewhere, we don't know where. Then the pendant acted like a beacon of sorts. It gave out some kind of signal, and the demon followed it. We rightly assumed that if the pendant was on Angel Island, then the demon would eventually show up there."  
  
She took some deep breaths.  
  
"Derek decided that he and Nick should attempt the banishment, while I stayed in the Control room."   
She grimaced.  
  
"Of course, I protested. Once again, I was safely out of harms way while the *men* took care of the problem."  
  
Her voice took on a faraway quality. "I would never had agreed………..*never*……. if I'd known this was going to happen."  
  
Rachel tightened her grip on Alex's hand. It seemed to bring her back slightly.   
  
"Anyway, I was watching the monitors in the Control room. The demon didn't make an appearance.  
We had those earpieces on………you know, so we could speak to each other. I heard Derek say something about the incantation, about re-summoning the demon. And he did it."   
  
Her voice began to waver. "Suddenly, this wind kicked up. I tried to warn them. It all happened so fast.  
The monitors all went blank, and I could hear Derek shouting something over the earpiece. I……I rushed out of the control room……but by the time I got there, it was over. The place was a mess, and Nick was lying there, and there was blood……" She trailed off again, shivering slightly.  
  
Rachel leaned back, aware that Kat's grip on her arm had tightened. "Alex, what happened next? Where's Derek?"  
  
She could hear the urgency in her voice, and tried to reign it in. She knew if she didn't, there was a risk of Alex shutting down.  
  
" I searched, and I couldn't find him anywhere. I called the medical evac unit. The staff all had the night off, Derek was worried that one of them might become caught in the situation. I stayed with Nick……."  
She straitened up suddenly in her chair.   
  
"Alex, what is it?" Rachel unconsciously echoing her pose.  
  
"Nick. A few minutes before help came, he woke up. He was in a lot of pain…….his eyes were barely open, but he said, 'It took Derek. It needs him.' I didn't even remember him saying it." She seemed angry with herself.  
  
"Alex honey, there is no reason you should have. You're possibly in shock, and things are bound to be a little foggy. The important thing is, that you *did* remember it."  
  
She slumped back in her seat, and let Alex's words sink in.  
  
"What do you think Nick meant? It needed Derek? What needed him, and for what purpose?"  
  
She couldn't figure it out, and saw her expression of confusion, mirrored on Alex's tired face.  
  
******************************************************************************* 


	3. The Waiting Room

Just a small note. I don't actually know anything about Wicca [ or whatever you prefer to call it.] I just did a little web surfing, so if anything is inaccurate, or offensive about the way that I've portrayed it [ in my little Alex memory ] then just let me know. I also considered having Nick very badly injured, but figured the story would be more fun if we had the h/c parts, as well as Nick going round, being Nick.: - ) *******************************************************************************  
  
Some time later, Alex woke. She was still sitting uncomfortably on a little chair in the waiting area. She wasn't sure when or how she had fallen asleep, just that she ached all over because of it. Alex glanced across the room. Rachel was slumped on a chair in the corner, Kat next to her, wrapped in her mothers arms. She did remember that Kat had fallen asleep, almost as soon as Alex had told them what happened at the Legacy house. She smiled, pleased to see them that close. There had been a rough time with Miranda, and the business about the craft. Alex wasn't of the opinion that witchcraft, or Wicca, or what ever name people felt suited it, was bad. She actually knew several people who practiced it. But they used it only to get in touch with the natural order of things. To become more in tune with the world, to find an inner balance. They believe that all have the potential, hidden inside. That it could be used to attune with the natural order of things, and that people should be ecologically aware.   
  
Alex remembered once, a talk that a friend of hers had given. Pamela Jones was a good friend of Alex's, so when she asked Alex to attend one of her talks, Alex had agreed. She knew that Pamela was into Wicca, and correctly assumed that the talk would cover this subject. Things had been going well. Pamela was telling of her beliefs, and of the many people who shared her interest, and some of the rites they performed, and their purpose. When one man had spoken up, accusing Pamela and 'her kind' of blatantly going against God, and all that the Church stood for, Alex had been furious, and also very intrigued as to Pamela's reaction. She wasn't disappointed. Pamela stood, and very coolly informed the man that he hadn't been listening, and that if he had, he would know where she stood on the subject of God. In her own opinion she had no quarrel with the church, or any other religions, other than if they had an inability to realise that not everyone had one belief. They were many and varied, and that *she* and '*her kind'* had the right to choose which they believed in, and believed that others had the same right. Also, they believed that everyone had the potential, and to coin a phrase, he shouldn't 'knock it 'till he had tried it.'  
  
But when you used spells, or incantations to do as Miranda had done, and instructed Kat to do, then it was no longer acceptable. Magick, or Wicca, was not supposed to be used in the self serving manner that the crone had used it in. And not to the detriment of others. If Kat continued to learn about the Wiccan Way, then she would discover this and more. And Alex would rather that she learned this, and practiced this philosophy, than remember any lessons that might have been taught by Miranda. Fortunately, it had been resolved, and in a way that suited everyone. The crone that had taken Miranda's form, and who knew how many others, in order to survive, was gone. Rachel and Kat had resolved their differences, and Rachel had even uncovered a power, that she wasn't aware she had. All in all, a job well done. Unlike this current case. As if realizing she was being watched, Rachel's eyes flickered open, and focused on Alex. She stifled a yawn, and went to move, before realizing that she was almost pinned by Kat. Settling for shifting a little, she said, "Hey Alex, how long have you been awake?"  
  
Alex started to massage her temples.   
  
"Not long. I was hoping that a doctor would have been by now. "  
  
Rachel nodded, and was about to answer, when they finally saw a doctor approaching. Alex felt herself tense, and saw the look Rachel shot in her direction. It seemed to say, 'speak of the devil.' *Nick will be fine,* she thought to herself. *He *has* to be.* Pulling herself out from under Kat, who made a protesting noise, and then settled back down, Rachel moved with a little difficulty to intercept him. She felt Alex join her, and squeezed her arm to comfort her. The doctor finally got close enough, and smiled tiredly.  
  
"Ms Moreau? I understand you bought Mr Boyle in?"  
  
Alex nodded, apprehension clear on her face. "Yes doctor. How is he? Can I see him?"  
  
The doctor held up a hand.   
  
"Just a moment Ms Moreau. My name is Dr Holden, I was called in to consult on your friend. I also operated on him. His case has now been assigned to me."  
  
At this, Rachel broke in. "I'm Dr Rachel Corrigan, Nick is a friend of mine. How did the surgery go?"  
  
The doctor turned his attention to Rachel. "The surgery went as well as could be expected. The patient was in excellent health prior to his injury, and………"  
  
The doctors voice tuned out as Alex's thoughts started to fly around in her head. He was talking in medical terms to Rachel, and Alex would have had trouble following in normal circumstances. In her current worried state, it was like trying to decipher some long dead ancient text.   
  
She had no idea how long the doctor had been talking, but the next thing she was aware of, was the beeping of his pager.   
  
"Well, I'll let you know if anything develops. You'll be able to see him, just as soon as we have him settled. You'll only be able to visit for a few minutes, but you're welcome to come back tomorrow. Barring any unforeseen complications setting in, everything points toward a complete recovery. He may not be awake now, and if he is, he may not be aware of his surroundings or the circumstances of his accident. He'll probably be a little confused for a few days. But things should begin to clear up. It could be at any time, but don't expect it straight away."  
  
As Rachel and the doctor said their good byes, Alex sat down. "Erm, Rachel, I must have tuned out. What did he say? How is Nick?"  
  
Rachel took a seat next to her. She smiled in sympathy. She knew that it would be hard for her friend to keep up with the doctors conversation, so she explained.  
  
"Basically Alex, to cracked ribs, as well as a badly broken arm, and a nasty knock to the head. Now, he has a concussion, but the doctor isn't too concerned about it. Nick regained consciousness in the ER, so the doctor expects there will be no repercussions. The other injuries were more severe. They operated on his arm. The arm injury was to the left ulna, and they had to put in six screws and a metal plate, midway between his wrist and elbow. But, they're pleased with the results. "   
  
Rachel saw the relief flood over Alex.   
  
"Now, why don't you go and get a drink, or something to eat. I'll wake Kat, we can see Nick for a minute, and then go home and get some sleep. Hopefully when Nick wakes, he can give us some more information on what happened. And then, when we're both rested, we can do some more research on this demon. Not that I expect you and Derek missed anything. I know how you two throw yourselves into the research."  
  
She had hoped to get a smile from Alex, and she succeeded.   
  
"Okay Rachel. I'll just go and get a bottle of water or something. I saw a vending machine on the way in. Do you or Kat want anything?"  
  
Rachel moved over to Kat. "No, we're both fine. See you in a minute."  
  
"Yeah." Alex moved off, and Rachel sighed. She hoped Nick would be okay. All indications were positive, but she knew from experience that sometimes, patients didn't pull through in the end. Even in simple cases like concussions, the patient could develop any number of complications. Haemorrhages and such, although that was rare. *Stop it,* she firmly told herself. *That's just lack of sleep talking. Nick is fine, and he's gonna be out of the hospital and make a full recovery.* She looked down at Kat. She was debating whether or not to wake her, so that they could all visit Nick, but before she could decide, Kat took matters into her own hands, and woke.  
  
"Mom?" Rachel smiled. She sounded so tired, and the sight of her daughter yawning and rubbing her eyes, made Rachel feel very glad to have her.  
  
"Hey Kat, you okay?" She sat next to her daughter, and pulled her into a quick hug, expecting her to pull away. Instead, Kat surprised her, and not only returned the hug, but settled down in her mothers arms.   
  
"Mom, has anyone said anything about Nick?"  
  
Rachel nodded, leaning her head to rest on Kat's.  
  
"Well, the doctor came by. He said that Nick is doing okay, and we can see him in a little while."  
  
"Really?" Kat angled her head until she looked directly into Rachel's eyes.  
  
Rachel laughed slightly. "Yes, really. But only for a minute, okay?" "Okay Mom." They were interrupted when a nurse entered the room.  
  
She informed them that they could visit Nick, just as Alex came back. "Alex, we're going to see Nick. Wanna come?" Rachel said it in an attempt to raise a smile from Alex, and it worked. ************************************************************************************* 


	4. Seeing Nick

*************************************************************************************  
  
It was dark. The silence was deafening. It occurred to him, what a strange saying that was. A lot of things like that had occurred to him. He felt like he had been here, in this place, for days. When in reality, it was most likely only several hours. He couldn't stop thinking about the others. Wondering if they were alright, or……..no, the alternative was too horrible to contemplate. Deciding to take action, he tested his bonds. They felt like simple rope, but a strange tingling at his wrists, told him they were possibly enchanted, or supernatural in some other way. Having no luck, he then forced himself to remain still. His prison was not as silent as he had first thought. He could hear something, most likely rodents or other vermin, scurrying about the place. But underneath that sound, was another. He couldn't place it. Suddenly, his body felt weighted. He felt more exhausted then he could ever remember being.  
As he succumbed to sleep, he never saw the shape standing over him………watching him.  
  
**************************************************************************************  
  
They walked down the corridor slowly. After a warning by Rachel that there were patients trying to rest, they were trying to be as quiet as possible. The nurse escorted them to the room where Nick was, and then left with strict instructions to only be a minute.  
Rachel gripped the door handle, and pushed the door open. It wasn't difficult to locate Nick. He was the only occupant of the small room. He was hooked up to the usual equipment.   
I.V, and other devices, probably for monitoring his vitals among other things. He had a large bandage on the left side of his head, and Rachel could see some heavy bruising there, too. The cast on his left arm looked almost invisible against the white covers of the bed. His eyes were closed, and she thought him asleep. Kat moved closer to the bed, walking cautiously. She didn't want to wake Nick, but she desperately wanted to hear his voice, to assure herself that he was okay. As she got close, Nick surprised them all, by opening his eyes. They scanned the room slowly, before finally landing on Kat. He gave a small smile, and Kat moved forward to the bed.   
  
"Hey Nick," she said. She didn't like hospital rooms. It was like, no matter how quietly you spoke, it always sounded like you were talking at the top of your voice. Rachel and Alex came to the bed. Rachel decided that some gentle teasing was in order.   
  
"Hey Nick. I see you've been careful as usual. What's the matter, you felt the need for a change of pace, so you had to put yourself in the hospital? Or have you missed the food in here?"  
  
Nick favoured her with a tired half smile. "Yeah Rach, real funny." His voice was scratchy, and faint, and Rachel put her hand on his right arm in sympathy. Nick frowned suddenly.   
  
"Alex? Is she okay?"  
  
He didn't want to risk moving his head, but he knew that he was worried about Alex for some reason.   
Alex moved forward, and looked down at Nick.   
  
"Hey. You gave us quite a scare you know. How are you feeling?"  
  
He squeezed the hand she put in his. "Lets see. My head is killing me, my face is killing me, and I hurt all over. All in all, I've had a bad day."  
  
They all laughed, though it was slightly nervous. Alex answered his previous question.   
  
"I'm okay Nick. I was really scared that you weren't going to make it you know……don't ever scare me like that again! You are always getting in the way of demons, and one day, it might not work out like this."  
  
To make her point, she lightly nudged his arm. He chuckled slightly.   
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I'll have to let any nice demons know that they shouldn't attack me in future for your sake, huh?"   
  
Alex mock frowned. "That's not what I meant. Now stop joking about it Nick, you should be taking it easy."   
  
Not wanting to push him too much, Rachel said, "Well, like Alex said, you have to rest, and I have a little girl who should be in bed. So, we'll be back tomorrow, honey, okay?"  
  
Nick nodded slightly, too tired to do much else. Kat leaned down to kiss his cheek, and promised to come back tomorrow. After a stern look from her mother, she added, "If you're okay, and Mom says I'm allowed."   
  
Rachel nodded, a slight smile on her face. As Nick's eyes closed, they saw a look come over him. It was a look of confusion.   
  
"Hey, I forgot to ask. What happened exactly? I mean, I assume there was a demon, but what else?"  
  
Alex and Rachel looked at each other, too shocked to do much else. "Nick, what do you mean? You don't remember what happened?"   
  
Rachel's question fell on deaf ears, as Nick had already fallen asleep.   
  
Kat, stood between Alex and Rachel, looked back and forth between them.   
  
"Mom, what is it? What's wrong?" She was beginning to get worried again, and when Rachel saw this, she put a smile on her face.   
  
"Nothing's wrong honey, I should have realised. A common symptom of concussion is memory loss about events preceding the injury. Sometimes, people can't remember things from just after, either."  
  
She straightened up. "I know you're still worried about Nick, but we have to go now. It's really late, okay?"  
Kat nodded, not quite convinced. Alex sighed, then smiled for Kat's benefit, as she led the way out of the room.  
************************************************************************************** 


	5. The Morning After

Alex groaned, rolling over and burying her face in the pillow under her head. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so tired. Knowing it was going to be futile to try and prolong sleep, she cracked open an eye, though it took considerable effort.  
  
She couldn't spot her bedside clock, so she raised her head, looking for it. But it wasn't there. It was then that the previous nights events, came crashing into focus.  
  
Demon. Nick, hospital. Derek, missing.  
  
Alex groaned again, managing to sit upright, before slowly pushing away the covers. She realised that the reason she couldn't find her clock, was because it wasn't her bedroom. After they had left the hospital last night, Rachel had suggested that they all go back to the her house. That way, they wouldn't have to deal with the Legacy house. With one quick phone call the their head of staff, who in turn contacted the rest of their staff, there was going to be no one at the SF house, so no evidence was disturbed. All in complience with Legacy regulations, of course. After a rather hurried call to the head of the London house, in which Alex assured them that she had the situation under control, and if she needed any help, then of *course* she would contact them, Alex had stumbled into Rachel's spare room, then crawled into bed, and gratefully fell into an exhausted slumber.  
  
Now, something caught Alex's attention............*coffee.* She could smell it.  
  
She made it to the bathroom, quickly showering, and then putting on the clothes that were lying on the chair in the corner, assuming Rachel had put them there, and mentally thanking her friend.  
  
She hurried downstairs as fast as her aching bones would allow her, walking into the kitchen eagerly.  
  
"Coffee," she murmered, a smile lighting her face.  
  
Rachel laughed. "Rough night?"  
  
Alex moaned, pouring some of the liquid into a mug, and then talking a large gulp. "Very funny, Rachel," she said.  
  
"Here," Rachel said, pulling out the seat next to her at the table, and patting it. "Sit down before you fall down."  
  
Alex quickly seated herself, slouching into the chair. "God, I feel like five miles of bad road."  
  
Rachel laughed slightly. "So, what's todays game plan?" she asked.  
  
Alex sat up straight in her chair, almost spilling the coffee remaining in the mug. "Huh?" she asked.  
  
Rachel stood, moving to the bread box and removing some slices. "Well.......Derek's missing.........Nick's out of commision........forgive me for sounding a little too proffesional, but I think that makes you in charge." She placed the bread in the toaster, pushing down the button to start the toasting.  
  
Alex looked at Rachel, her mind still a tad foggy. "Oh.......yeah. Well......I guess the game plan is, research.....for which I'll need a computer."  
  
Rachel's answer was cut off by Kat, who came walking through the doorway, rubbing her eyes like a small child.  
  
"Hey mom, hey Alex," she yawned.  
  
"Hey Kat," they chorused.  
  
Rachel gave Kat a small hug, watching her daughter then make her way over to the kitchen table, slouching in a seat much the same way as Alex had. "Kat, watch the toast for me? I'm just going to get the lap top for Alex."  
  
Kat nodded, propping her head up with her hands, elbows on the table.  
  
Rachel left the room, heading for her office.  
  
The other two sat in silence for a moment, before Kat spoke.  
  
"Alex.......is Nick really gonna be okay? He looked really tired last night........and he couldn't remember.......I just.......mom sometimes thinks she has to protect me."  
  
Alex was alarmed to see that Kat was on the verge of tears. "Hey," she soothed, putting her arms around Kat. "Nick's going to be fine. He won't be lifting weights anytime soon, but he's fine."  
  
Rachel chose that moment to come in. "Kat.....what's wrong?"  
  
Alex laughed slightly. "Nothing Rachel. I was feeling a little shaky......Kat was just giving me a hug to make me feel better...........right Kat?"  
  
Kat nodded. "Yeah mom.........that's what it was."  
  
Alex recieved a grateful look from Kat, and a slightly puzzled look from Rachel, and had to smile. She'd never fully realized how much alike mother and daughter were. It wasn't just the physical..........their independance, their strength......it all made Alex very glad that she could count them as her friends.  
  
Rachel decided to leave it for the moment. "Okay......here you go Alex, one lap top."  
  
"Thanks Rachel," Alex said, her fingers already on the keys, tapping out the commands that would grant her access to the Legacy data base.  
  
  
  
**************************  
  
Derek groaned. His limbs ached, protesting every time he tried to make the slightest movement. He was hungry, as well as thirsty. Food was something he could sacrifice for now.......but he had an overwhelming thirst. He had tried to take his mind of his discomfort. He tried thinking of things.........how many languages he could speak..........the similarities between them...........the differences between them. He quickly became bored and frustrated with that course of thinking, and tried to focus on something else. He thought back on his cases with the Legacy......partly for distraction, partly because at the start of this little adventure, he had considered that it was possible that the culprit behind this, was an enemy from a past case. He had quickly exsausted that train of thought. Even if it was an old enemy, the list was such by now, that he would not be able to calculate them, and come up with a suspect.  
  
No, to do that, he would need the full resources of the Legacy database. Since that was not going to be very likely, Derek could only hope that one of his trusted colleagues, could come up with a solution...........and set in motion, a rescue.  
  
He knew they would do nothing short of their very best. And their very best, was more than enough for their Precept.  
  
He was startled from his musings, by a noise. He couldn't identify it at first.........but there it was again.  
  
A strange.......dragging sound. And it was getting closer.  
  
The possiblities responsible for the sound, whirled through Derek's mind. The one that stood out was, that the noise came from his captor.  
  
All wonderings about the noise were stopped, as Derek became aware of a new sound.........breathing. And it wasn't his own.  
  
When something was pressed to his lips, Derek jumped, startled at the contact. He could feel the liquid in the container, gently lapping against his mouth, and for a moment he debated refusing. But his thirst got the better of him, and soon he was gulping down the drink.  
  
When he'd had his fill, he pulled back, licking at his lips, somewhat nervously. He was unsure of what came next. He was answered, when he heard the dragging noise begin again. He wanted desperately to shout out, tell whoever had taken him to stop, ask him why he was here, what had happened to his friends. But, his only recently moistened tongue, would not work.  
  
As the noise resumed, he feared his chance was gone.  
  
"Wait!" he finally managed, his voice scratchy. The noise paused.  
  
"Who are you? Where am I? Why am I here?"  
  
He waited in silence, the only sound being ragged breathing, from him or the maker of the noise, he was unsure.  
  
After a moment of continued silence, Derek thought that his captor would not answer. Until 'he' spoke.  
  
"You.....are here......to answer the call."  
  
Derek sighed explosively, not realizing that he had been holding his breath.  
  
"The call? What do you mean?"  
  
His only answer was more laboured breathing as the noise returned. His captor was leaving.  
  
"No! What call? What do you mean? Why am I here?"  
  
"You are here to answer the call," the voice repeated, the shuffling sound of his movement growing distant, until Derek heard it no more, and he was alone.  
  
******************************** 


	6. The Morning After.......Continued.

"Alex?" Rachel called, walking into the kitchen. There was no reply. Not that she had really expected one, seeing as how she had actually been shouting Alex for the last five minutes without a response. Smiling at the sight of Alex, fingers perched over the laptops keys like it were a piano and she a pianist, Rachel dcided enough was enough. She went to her friend, reaching out and gently shaking Alex's shoulder.  
  
"Huh?" came Alex's less than coherant reply.  
  
"Alex, you've been in her for two hours straight. I think it's time you took a break."  
  
The younger woman sighed, arching her back and rubbing her neck.  
  
"God, I feel like I've pulled an all nighter," she groaned.  
  
"Well, it's not like you got a whole lot of sleep last night," Rachel said sympathetically. "Did you find anything?"  
  
Alex shook her head. "Nothing that wasn't picked up on the original investigation. Though I'm still not done.......I'm going to try some of my more obscure sources."  
  
  
  
She wrapped her right arm around her ribs, resting her left elbow on her right hand, her left to her mouth so that she could chew on her thumb. Rachel smiled slightly at the gesture that she had come to recognise from Alex as intense concentration......usually with a little frustration mixed in.  
  
"I just don't get what happened," she burst out suddenly. "We had everything planned. I can't help but...." she trailed off.  
  
"But what Alex?" Rachel asked in concern.  
  
"I can't help but wonder.....if anything would have gone differantly........if I'd been there, in the Foyer with them. Maybe I could have helped......done something, seen *something,* anything that would give us a clue to what the hell is going on."  
  
"Yeah Alex," Rachel injected forcefully, "or maybe you'd be dead right now."  
  
Shaking her head at her own tone of voice and choice of words, she went on. "I didn't mean it like that, Alex. I just........I've been where you are. More than once, as I suspect you yourself have been. When Patrick and Connor....when they were killed, I spent entire *days* just thinking, maybe if I'd been in the car with them.......maybe if I'd gone, instead of Patrick........imagine that now Alex?  
  
I could be dead.......small price to pay in my opinion for the life of my husband and child......but maybe it wouldn't have changed a thing.....if I'd died with them, Kat would be *alone* right now.  
  
If we'd lived.........well then, it's even possible that Kat and I would never have found the Legacy.  
  
Do you remember Paige, Alex?" she asked, pain evident in her voice as she mentioned the name of the daughter she had given up for adoption before her marriage to Patrick.  
  
"When she bagan to exhibit signs of the Sight, no one knew what the hell was goin' on with her. They thought that she was mentally ill. And then she started believing it, and she became depressed, and she *died* Alex.  
  
Because she thought the images and voices in her head meant she was crazy. Kat didn't go down the same path because of Derek and the rest of you, convincing me that the Sight was real. Without your support, God knows where we'd be. It's equally possible that someone from the Darkside would have sensed Kat's abilities, like Miranda.....but without the knowledge of what was going on, how would we have fought them?  
  
It does no good to start thinking of 'if 's' or 'might have beens.' It's only gonna end up hurting you in the long run. You'll become consumed by the uncertainty, and it'll extend into everything you do, and everything you've done. You can't afford to go down that path Alex. Not now."  
  
Letting the words she knew deep down to be true sink in, Alex allowed herself a little smirk. "Now I see why you're the one who gets paid the big bucks to......what is it Nick says? Oh yeah.......'shrink people's heads.'"  
  
They both chuckled quietly, Rachel covering one of Alex's hands with her own. Remembering her nights of constant uncertainty after the accident that had claimed the lives of two of the most important people in her life had shaken Rachel up, and she found herself eagerly awaiting her little -- or rather *not* so little anymore -- girls return from her shopping spree. As if reading her mind, Alex spoke.  
  
"Where's Kat?" she asked suddenly, noticing for the first time an absence of any sign that signaled Kat's youthful presence.  
  
"Oh, a friend of hers called about twenty minutes ago. I said that Kat could go to the mall with her, provided she was back in an hour or so.  
  
I figured it would take her mind off of Derek and Nick. She's still worried about him, isn't she?"  
  
"Yeah Rach, I think she is. She may understand that his injuries aren't really life threatening, but even I won't feel sure until he's out of that hospital and home, raising hell."  
  
They smiled, both remembering some of the now legandary escapades of Nick Boyle.  
  
"Well, we'll try and stop by once visiting hours start. It's possible that Nick might have remembered something from last night........no one can predict an exact response from an injury sustained to the head......the brain is a curious thing."  
  
Alex snorted. "*Nick's* brain is, anyway."  
  
They laughed, the tense and uneasy moments of before, gone.  
  
"What are you waiting for, Moreau," Rachel mock scowled. "Get reasearching."  
  
"Oh, yes ma'am," Alex saluted jokingly.  
  
Grinning like children, the two turned, Alex back to ther computer, and Rachel back to the phone, trying to reschedule an appointment she had with a patient.  
  
*****************************  
  
He was in a field. Looking around a bit, he determined that it wasn't a normal field.  
  
The grass was grey, as if drained of colour.  
  
And if Derek wasn't mistaken, it looked burned.....or rather *scorched* in several areas. There was also a smell in the air......like ozone....lightning maybe?  
  
It would explain the burnt patches on the grass.  
  
The thought worried Derek. If the ground had been subject to lightning from the sky, a storm perhaps.....then it could still strike at any time. He needed cover.  
  
He realised that he had no memory of how exactly he had come to be in this..........'field.'  
  
He tried to think back, but his mind was sluggish......thinking was requiring more effort than normal. His thoughts were rough, disjointed. What had he been thinking? Oh yes. Cover. He had to find some.  
  
But the field streched on, as far as he could see in every direction. There were no structures or shelters of any sort. Time to think.  
  
What did he know about lightning? Don't play golf during it.  
  
'Hardly practical advice applicable to this situation,' he chided himself. Don't stand near trees.  
  
'Trees?' he thought, confused for a moment why that one word would have such an affect on him.  
  
'What about them?'  
  
He looked around, finally noticing what it was. There were none. He was standing in the middle of a field.......and there were no trees. And if he listened carefully.......there were no birds. No insects, either. Strange.  
  
Deciding that standing stationary was just as dangerous as walking through this 'field,' Derek picked a direction, and moved off, his actions as sluggish as his thoughts.  
  
He never noticed the movement behind him, where only a moment ago nothing had existed. Nor did he notice the eyes tracking his every motion.........or the growl of satisfactiobn the beast made as it set off after the Precept.  
  
**************************** 


	7. Telling Nick

When Alex, Rachel and Kat made it to the hospital, it wasn't hard to find Nick's room again.....they just followed the sound of shouting.  
  
"I said, I want outta here!"  
  
"Mr Boyle --"  
  
"Don't Mr Boyle me, I said I want outta here."  
  
Rachel and Alex shared a look that was unique to the friends and loved ones of Nick Boyle. Sort of amusement mixed with exasperation. Pushing open his door, the saw a pale looking Nick, sitting up in bed and trying to remove the I.V line with his cast clad arm. He wasn't having much luck, but he wasn't giving up, either. Rachel decided that she had to put a stop to this right now.  
  
"Nick! What on Earth do you think you're doing?"  
  
Nick and the unfortunate nurse he was arguing with looked up, and Rachel was hard pressed not to laugh at their expressions. Kat was not so discreet, and she let out a giggle at the look of determination on Nick's face and the look of total frustration -- another familar expression to the friends and loved ones of Nick Boyle -- on the nurse's.  
  
"Rach, thank God you're here. 'Nurse Nazi' here is refusing to give me my clothes so I can get outta here."  
  
Rachel took a moment to think of all of the things she had learnt during her psychiatry training. Patience was topmost on the list, and she had a feeling she'd need bucketloads to deal with this.  
  
"Nick....you've just had surgery to repair the break in your arm.....you also suffered a concussion and short term memory loss. You aren't ready to be discharged yet."  
  
"Rachel, I feel fine. Now, I don't know what happened, that's true. But how the hell am I goin' to find out if I'm cooped up in here?"  
  
The nurse, who had stayed silent since Rachel had tried reasoning with Nick, walked forward now. "I trust you have this under control now, Dr Corrigan?"  
  
Rachel nodded. "Thanks Wendy."  
  
As Wendy exited the room, Alex turned a questioning gaze on Rachel.  
  
"I've worked with Wendy before when I've attended patients here," she offered as explantion. "Now, Nick.....what do you think you're doing?"  
  
He sighed, finally giving up on the I.V. "What do you think I'm doing? Something put me in the hospital, and I wanna know what it was."  
  
Alex moved forward, pushing Nick back onto the bed. "I'll do you a deal. If you lie down before you pass out, I'll tell you what it is you want to know."  
  
He considered for a moment, before nodding. "Okay, fine."  
  
"Alright then," Alex said. She pulled up a chair, watching as Kat sat at the head of the bed, closest to Nick, who gave her a smile which she returned. Rachel sat at the foot of the bed, sharing a look with Alex.  
  
"Okay," Alex started. "How much do you remember?"  
  
"I remember the case we were working on......something about a pendant that summoned a demon, who then somehow honed in on the pendants location. Derek was brought in by the parents of some kids who discovered it, I think. I remember.....I remember that we planned something....but I don't know what. And then nothing, 'til I woke up here."  
  
Rachel nodded. "Like I said last night, head injuries are unpredictable. Concussions often result in memory loss preceding and in some cases following the injury. You may not ever get those memories back."  
  
"Okay, great. So does someone wanna fill me in?"  
  
Alex sighed. "Right. Anyway, the plan that you mentioned......we decided that the only way to get the demon and hopefully banish it, was to summon it, and hope that once in this world it zeroed in on the location of the pendant. So, that's what we did. Or you and Derek, anyway. I was monitoring from the control room. Derek said the chant, and we waited. When nothing happened, he did it again. The next thing I know, this wind kicked up and the monitors went blank ......I heard Derek shout something over the earpiece, and then the mics went down. I rushed down to the Foyer, but by the time I got there, it was all over."  
  
"That's not all though, right?" Nick guessed.  
  
"No, it's not." Alex looked him right in the eye, knowing how he would react to her next news. "When I got there.....you were the only person I found."  
  
Nick frowned. "What do you mean, the only one?"  
  
"I mean.....that there was no demon.....and no Derek. You were injured, so I called the Evac team and we were taken to the hospital. But that isn't all.....before you passed out, you said something. You said, 'It  
  
took Derek. It needs him.' You were out cold before I could ask you about it, and I didn't even remember you'd said it until later. Anyway, at the hospital they rushed you away from me.  
  
That's when I called Rachel, who came right over here."  
  
Nick sat up quickly. "So let me get this straight.......while I've been lying in this bed, being tortured by the so called medical staff of this hospital....Derek's been missing. Possibly taken by a demon....and you didn't think to tell me?!"  
  
"Nick," Rachel reasoned. "You were unconscious for most of the time.....there's nothing you could have done."  
  
"Maybe not, " he allowed. "But there's something I can do now. I need my clothes."  
  
Pulling back the blankets, he threw his legs over the side of the bed. He was dressed in a pair of flimsy hospital pyjamas, and Rachel knew that if she didn't stop him now, he would march out of the hospital in them.  
  
"Nick, stop. Do you really think you're going to be any use to Derek in this state? Your body has been through a traumatic event, you have to let it rest."  
  
"Rachel, I'm alive. Which is more than we can say for certain Derek is. We have to do something."  
  
"Yeah, I agree. But you'll be of no help if you collapse from exhaustion. You could even aggravate your injuries, forcing you to spend even more time in here. Is that what you want?"  
  
He sighed, his body slumping wearily in his sitting position. "No, it's not. But I can't sit here, doing nothing."  
  
After having stayed silent since their entrance, Kat spoke. "You're not doing nothing, Nick. You're getting better, for Derek. The sooner you're well, the sooner you can get out of here. Then you can kick some demon as -- "  
  
At a firm look from Rachel, she changed her phrasing. "Butt. You can kick some demon butt."  
  
He seemed unconvinced, so she kicked it up a notch. "Please, Nick. I don't want anything else to happen to you."  
  
Nick looked at her, and saw the geniune worry in her eyes. "Okay......I'll stay. But I can only tolerate this place for so long before I go crazy, you know." He directed the last part at Rachel, and almost missed Alex's comment.  
  
"*Go* crazy?"  
  
"Hey," he warned. "Watch it Moreau."  
  
Kat giggled as the others smiled, before Nick asked one last question. "What do you think I meant?"  
  
"What?" Rachel asked.  
  
"What Alex said. She told us that I said, 'It  
  
took Derek. It needs him.' What do you think I meant?"  
  
Rachel shook her head. "I don't know, honey. I don't know."  
  
  
  
************ 


End file.
